Air feed for hot-air furnaces



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,392

E. G. MILLER 1 AIR FEED FOR HOT AIR FURNACES Filed Oct. 12, 1927 I I l I I l l mm! a.- may B Y A TTORNE Y INVENTOR v Patented Dec. 11, .1928.

UNITED smrss EDWARD G. MILLER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

AIR FEED FOR HOT- AIR FURNACES.

Application filed 0-ctober12, 1927.

The main objects of this invention are to vane 13 and being provide in a hot air furnace a combination gravity and forced air feed which is highly effective, the forced air feed in no wise interfering with the effectiveness of the gravity feed when the forced air feed is not in operation and vice versa.

A further object is to provide a structure having these advantages which is simple and economical in its parts, easy to install and not likely to become inoperative in use.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my inven tion by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A. device embodying my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hot air furnace embodying the features of my invention, parts being shown conventionally for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 2 is a detail view mainly in vertical section on line- 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referrin to the drawing lrepresents the casing of aiot air furnace and 2 the air heating chamber thereof. The structural detail of the casing and the furnace are not illustrated as they form no part of this invention.

I provide a gravity feed air flue 3 delivering at the sideof the hot air chamber. In practice, I provide two of these gravity feed air flues disposed on opposite sides of the casing. However, for convenience I have illustrated only one. This gravity feed air flue is provided with a damper 4 mounted on a spindle 5 having an arm 6 on the outer end thereof.

The force feed air flue 7 delivers at the rear of the air heating chamber of the furnace. Within this flue I mount a blower, preferably an electric fan, indicated generally by the numeral 8, the motor being supported in a spider like frame 9 centrally within the flue. On the outside of and embracing the flue is a frame 10' made up of angle iron and supporting a rock shaft 11 projecting through the upper part of the flue 7. On this rock shaft are mounted a pair of vanes 12 and 13, these being disposed, in the embodiment illustrated, at right angles to each other, the vane 12 being substantially larger than the Serial No. 225,669.

normally supported by gravity in the vertical position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the blower is in operation the blast of air swings this vane 12 to the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, carrying the smaller vane 13 into the path of the blast of air. This results in the stabilizing of the rock shaft.

On the outer end of the rock shaft is an arm 14 connected by cable indicated at 15 to the arm 6 on the damper so that when the vane; are actuated by the blast of air, the damper i is closed. The motor 8 may be controlled from a manually operated switch indicated at 16 or through thermostatic means he desired.

The lines 3 and 7 being independent, the forced air flue does not interfere'with the proper feeding of the air by gravity when the blower is not in operation. When the blower 15 in operation the damper of the gravity feed flue is automatically closed so that the air must be properly delivered through the hot air conduits and not discharged through the gravity feed flues. v

I have illustrated my improvements in an adaptation which I find very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate various modifications and adaptations which might be required for difi-erent installations as it is believed the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with the air heating chamber of a hot air furnace, of a gravity feed airflue delivering to said chamber and provided with a damper, a force feed air flue delivering to said chamber, a fan disposed in said force feed air flue, a rock shaft extending through said force feed air flue at the front as may of said fan and provided with an arm at its outer end, a pair of vanes on said rock shaft disposed at approximately right angles to each other said vanes being of different dimensions whereby when the fan is in operation the blast of air swings the larger vane to an approximately horizontal position and carries the smaller vane across the air current thereby stabilizing the rock shaft, and an operating connection from said arm on said rock shaft to said damper whereby the damper is automatically closed when the fan is in operation the vane and damper being returned by gravity to normal position with the damper open when the fan is not in operation.

2. The combination with the air heating chamber of a hot air furnace of a gravity feed air flue delivering to said chamber and provided with a damper, a force feed air flue delivering to said chamber, a fan disposed in said, force feed air flue, a rock shaft extending through said force feed air flue at the front of said fan and provided with an arm at its outer end, a ane on said rock shaft whereby when the-fan is in operation the blast of air actuates the vane and an operating connection from said arm on said rock shaft to said damper whereby the damper is automatically closed when the fan is in operation the vane and damper being returned by gravity to normal position with the damper open when the fan is not in operation.

3. The combination with the air heating chamber of a hot air furnace, of a gravity feed air flue delivering to said chamber and provided with a damper, a force feed air flue delivering to said chamber, a blower for said force feed air fine, a pair of vanes disposed at approximately right angles to each other and pivotally mounted in said force feed air flue at the front of said blower said vanes being of difi'erent sizes the larger vane being in a Vertical position across the flue when blower is not in operation the smaller vane being swung into the air current whenthe blower is in operation, and operating connections from said vanes to said damper whereby the damper is closed when the blower is in operaprovided with a damper, a force feed air flue delivering to said chamber, a blower for said force feed air flue, a plurality of vanes mounted on a rock shaft at an angle to each other within said forced air flue at the front of said blower, and an operating connection from the rock shaft to said damper.

5. The combination with the air heating chamber of a hot air furnace, a gravity feed air line delivering to said chamber and pro vided with a damper, a force feed air flue delivering to said chamber, said flues being independent of each other, a blower in said force feed air flue, a vane mounted on a rock shaft in said force feed air flue at the front of said blower, and an operating connection from said vane to said damper whereby the damper is automatically closed when the vane is actuated by said blower.

6. The combination with the air heating chamber of a hot air furnace, of a blower operatively associated therewith, a gravity air feed control damper, and an operating means for said control damper comprising a Vane mounted on a rock shaft in position to receive the blast from said blower and operatively connected to said damper.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

nnwanne. MILLER. 

